Label or stamp affixing device.



W. E. CLAY.

LABEL 0R STAMP AFFIXING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17. 1916.

l Q'?& 3 3 1 m Patented July 23, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W. E. CLAY.

LABEL 0R STAMP AFHXiNG DEVICE.

APPLlCATlON FILED MAY H. 1916.

Patented July 23, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WILLIAM E. CLAY, 0F hlltlllTAfi KlilT BEACH, MA$SAGHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented July $3., llFlldo Application filed. May 17, 1916. Serial No. 933%.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM E. CLAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nantasket Beach, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Label or Stamp Aflixing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for aiiixing labels, stamps or the like to articles.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device of the nature set forth which particularly adapted for both o'liice or individual use and elimihates the necessity of employii'ig the slow methods now employed in offices, consisting of the mo-istening of the gummed substance on the stamp by rubbing the same over a dampened sponge or the very unsanitary method of inoistening a portion of the onvelop or the gummed surface of the stamp by applying to the tongue.

In its present adaption the device as shown is adapted to be manually operated, while the material or work to which the label or stamp is to be attached is, in the present embodiment, manually placed in its proper position. It is needless to state, however, that a power driven device or instrumentalities for feeding the work may be employed without departing in the least from the spirit or scope of the invention.

lin accordance with one feature of my inveution the movement of the pad toward the work topress the stamp or label there against is utilized to operate means for advancing the strip into a position to be engaged by said pad. Another feature of the invention consists in providing means for moist-ening the surface of the work during the insertion of the work so that when the strip is moved into contact with the work it will adhere thereto. The accomplishments of the objects hereinbeforc set forth are attained by the. mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 4 is a section taken substantially on the line 1-4; ofFig. 2, illustrating the ad justable gage for positioning the envelop 011 the work support.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the grippers and immediate portions of the strip holding means, cutters and gripper holding and releasing means, the section being taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line ti6 of Fig. 2, illustrating the cutters, pad and moist-oiling instrumentalities in the positions which they occupy when the work is being inserted in the device.

Fig. 7 is a section similar to Fig. 6, ill ustrating the pad in a lowered position, the moistening pad lifted from the work and the cutters just about being operated to sever the strip.

Fig. 8 is a detailed sectional view of the cutters in their closed positions.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

la the drawings, 10 is a work support against which the work to which the stamp or label is to be attached is placed and held. during the allixing of said label or stamp. it. gage 11 on said work support serves as a stop against which one end of the work is placed. so as to position the same in one direction. Cooperating with said gage-11 is an adjustable gage 12 which is adapted to be moved longil'ildinally of the gage 11, the colistruotion and arrangement of said gage being illustrated in Fig. 4-. The labels or stamps to be affixed to the work may be fed either by short strips or from a roll, prefe'ably the latter, as shown at 13, which form is illustrated in the present adaptation of my invention. I

The roll 13 is preferably mounted upon an arbor 14lbetween brackets 15 and 16 mounted upon the frame of the device preferably embodying the work support 10. The brackets 15 and 16 are provided with slots 17 adapted to receive the ends of the arbor 14,

thus positioning said arbor and the roll cartends from. the bracket to to the bracket 16 lilo llll

through ears 25 formed upon the pivoted member 20.

The member 20 and the plate 22 constitute a holder for the end of said strip while the edges of said strip are guided preferably between the brackets 15 and '16, the same be ing continued from the roll 13 substantially to the edge of the gage 11. The surface of the plate 22 which is engaged by the strip is arranged at a distance from the surface of the work support 10 and terminates at a slight distance back of-the edge constituting the gage 11, whereby the end 18 of the strip will be permitted to project forwardly beyond the holder therefor.

Means are provided for advancing the forward end of-the strip of sheet material over the portion of the work which is supported on the Work support against the gage 11. A simple and efficient means for accomplishing this result consists of a pair of grippers 26 and 27 constructed and arranged to be moved toward and away from the holding means embodying the pivoted member 20 and plate 22. The-gripper 26 is preferably arranged to slide in suitable guides 28, 28 preferably formed upon a plate 29 superimposed above the work support 10 and between said plate and said work support is a recess 30 of a sufficient depth to receive the work. The gripp'er27 is .pivotally attached to the gripper 26 by a pin 31, extending throughears 32 and 33 formed respectively uponthe grippers 26 and 27.

The strip engaging ends 34 of the grippersf26 and 27 are normally held closed by a spring 35 preferably encircling the pin 31 and withits ends engaging the inner faces of the grippers 126 and 27 respectively. The

grippers are at the proper time moved away from the strip holding members consisting of the member 20 and the plate 22 to feed or advance a portion of the strip over the work upon the work support 10, said work being illustrated at 36, and after having been advanced the desired'distance the gripperszare caused to release the strip after which the-advanced end lSVIIIOVG C l. into contact with the work-36.

The instrumentalities for moving the advanced :portion. of the strip toward said work support and against said work to aflix said strip thereto preferably includes a pad 37 having a substantially resilient work engaging iportion3'8. The pad 37 is attached to a plunger 39 mounted in suitable guides to "reciprocate laterally or toward and away from the faceof said worksu'pport against which the work 36 rests.

-Mounted upon saidplunger and normally movable therewith is aslide 4E0, saidslide bein arranged to reciprocate -in suitable guides, in the present instance consisting of rods 41,; d1 projecting upwardly from the plate 29. The outer ends of 'the rod 41 are tied together by a plate 42. The plunger 39, although having slidable engagement with the slide 40, is normally prevented from moving relatively to said slide by a spring 43 which engages a portion of said slide and a pin it on said plunger.

By reason of this construction, when the plunger 39 ismoved toward the work support 10 the slide 10 will likewise be moved toward said work support until resistance is encountered, whereupon a further movement of the slide will be prevented but the plunger and pad will continue until the resilient face of said pad engages the work. hen pressure is removed from the plunger the spring causes said plunger to return to its normal positionrelatively to the slide. The slide 4-0 is preferably provided with a tubular extension 4-5 which has sliding =engagement with the-plate 4-2 and also with the rod or plunger 39.

The tubular extension 415 is provided at its outer end with a collar 4-.6 engaging one end of a spring 47 encircling said tubular extension while the opposite end of said spring engages said plate. The function of this spring is to return the slide and plunger to their normal positions when pressure is removed from the end of said plunger. A handpiece 4-8 is attached to the outer end of the plunger, whereby the same may be more easily pushed and as previously stated the action of the plunger 39 toward the work support is utilized to move the grippers to advance the strip over the work.

A very simple and eiiieient method of accomplishing such a cooperation consists in providing a bell crank lever 49, the same being pivoted at 50 to a fixed portion of .the device. One arm of the lever 49 is pivotally attached to the slide 410 by means of a .pin 51. working in a slot 52 in one endof said lever and as the slide 40 is reciprocated the lever 49 will be rocked upon its pivot 50. The other arm 53 of the lever 4-9 is operatively connected with the slidably arranged gripper 26 by means of a. pin 5-1- mounted preferably in cars 55 carried by said gripper 26. The pin 5% is arranged within a slot 56 adjacent to the outer end of the arm 53 whereby the recipro atory movements of the slide 40 will be imparted to the sliding gripper 26.

Not only are the reciprocatory movements of the plunger 39 and slide 40 utilized to move the grippers to advance the work, but the same means are utilized to move said grippers toward the strip holding means to secure a fresh strip, this taking place after the strip which was advanced by the movement of-the pad toward the work has been pressed against said work. Furthermore, the same movements of said plunger are also preferably employed to accomplish the operation of said grippers to grip and release the strip thus advanced.

To facilitate these operations the arml 53 of the lever 4L9 is extended at 57 so as to en gage the arm 58 of the pivoted gripper 27. said arm 58 being upon the opposite side of the pivot 31 from the work engaging ends of said grippers. The extension 57 is so arranged that it engages the arm 58 at a certain time during the movement of the grippers away from the holders 21 and 22, whereby the pivoted member 27 will be rocked upon said pivot 31 and the jaws opened.

Cooperating with the pivoted gripper 27 is a latch 59, said latch being preferably pivotally mounted upon the slidable member 26 of the pair of grippers and adapted to automatically engage the free end of the arm 58 when said arm is depressed by the extension 57 to open the jaws and thus re tain said jaws open. An extension 60 on; said latch 59 is of sul'licient weight to cause said latchto engage said arm 58 when said arm has been depressed, as illustrated in llig. 3.

The work engaging ends 34: of the grippers are preferably held open by the latch 59 until said grippers have been returned to their positions adjacent to the holding means for the end of the strip of material to be advanced, with the protruding end of said strip projecting between the gripping ends of said grippers. The closing of the jaws of said grippers is preferably accomplished by withdrawing the latch from the end of the arm 58 and during the initial movement of the plunger 39 and slide .0 toward the work support.

A simple device for accomplishing this result preferably includes a spring pin (31 mounted in the arm 53 of the lever 49, said pin. being adapted to be moved into contact with the latch 59 and to rest within a slight depression 62 during the return of said grippers to their normal positions as indicated in Fig. 1. or. in other words. during the outer movement of the pad 37 with respect to the work support. This particular construction. hmvever. is but one of a large number of simple expedients capable of accomplishing the same result, one of such being a pivoted latch which can be attached to the arm 53 so as to swing about its pivot when the arm 53 moves in the direction of the arrow (i but when the arm moves in the opposite direction it will cause said latch to be disengaged from the arm 58.

When exceptionally thin strips of paper are employed and one of the surfaces thereof is gummed, there is great tendency of said material to curl up at the ends and to prevent this from taking place and thus interfering with the grippers taking hold of said end the end 21, pivoted member 20 and the plate 22 are provided with teeth (33 which cooperate or interlock with teeth 6a formed at the Work engaging ends 84 of: said grippers, thus when said grippers are moved toward the holder the ends of said. grippers will overlap the ends of said holders. 7

W hen the strip is continuous it is neces sary that the advanced portion thereof be severed before the pad 37 engages the same and for this purpose are preferably provided cutters 65 arranged in close proximity to the ends of the holders 21 and 22. The cutters preferably embody a stationary blade 66 and amovable blade (37 pivoted at 68 to sail? blade 66. A spring 69 is attached at 70 to the blade 67 and at 71 to a fixed portion of the device so as to exert a yielding pressure upon the blade 67 to retain the same in its uppermost position. The spacebetweim the blades 66 and 67 is normally sufficient to admit the strip engaging ends 84 of the grippers to engage the end of said strip.

The cutter 67 is preferably operated by a cam plate 72 attached to the slide 40 and adapted to be moved by the same into con tact with said cutter during the latter portion of the movement of said slide toward the work support and after the cutters 97 have been moved sufficient to sever the end of the strip a further movement of said slide is prevented by reason of said slide engaging a portion of the cutter G6 at 73. said portion constituting a stop for said slide. said stop constituting the resistance hereinbefore re ferred to for said slide which causes the plunger 39 to be moved relatively to said slide for a short distance or sufficient to cause said pad 37 to engage the work at which time the spring 46 compressed.

It is not essential. although preferable. that the under face of the stri p be gununed as stamps and labels usually are and when so used it is necessary that moisture be provided to moisten said guuuucd surface so that the stamp or label will adhere/to the work when pressed against said work by the pad 37. A simple and eliicient means for accomplishing the moistcning of said gununed substance preferal'ily consists of a inoisteniug pad 7 L. This pad includes a holder 75 containing a liquid absorliing substance 76. The lower portion of the holrhn' 75 is perforated at 77 and these perforatimis are preferably covered with a porous material 78, such as felt, said felt being normally held against the face of the work support 10.

The holder 75 is mounted upon an arm 79 and is preferably pivoted at 80 to the sta ticnary portion of the device. A spring 81 enga said arm and yieldingly retains the felt portion 78 of said pad in contact with the work support. Moisture is supplied to the absorbent material 76 preferably through a flexible tube 82 which extends to a reservoir 83 containing a supply of liquid. A wick 84: may be inserted in the tube 82 whereby the moisture may be fed gradually from the reservoir to the absorbent 7 6, thus insuring a constant supply of liquid at the end of said moistening pad. The portion of said moistening pad which engages the work support is preferably rounded as shown in the drawings to enable the work 36 to be easily inserted in the direction of the arrow 6, Fig. 7, and as said workis inserted the pressure of the spring 81 on said pad causes more or less moisture to be placed upon the upper surface of the portion of said work which is engaged by said pad, leaving said surface moistso that when the severed portion of the strip as indicated at 85, Fig. 7, is moved toward the work by the pad 37 the adhesive substance at the bottom of said strip will be moistened suflicient to cause the strip to adhere. It is desirable that the pad 7 1 be slightly raised from the work after the same has been inserted to its full extent and to accomplish this result an arm 86 extends upwardly from the arm 7 9 and is bent at 87 to form a cam surface which cooperates with a'roll 88 carried by the slide 40 to elevate said pad as will be readily seen by referring to Figs. 6 and '7 of the draw lngs.

When it is desired to insert the work farther than it is shown in Fig. 7 the gage 12 must be moved as stated. This is particularly desirable when two or more stamps are to be placed upon an envelop or package. To accomplish this adjustment of the gage 12 a lever 89 is pivotally attached to a portion of the gage 12 beneath the work as at 90 while the end 91 of said lever 89 is adapted to project upwardly into engagement with recesses 92 formed in said work support at suitable distances apart according to the spacing of the stamps desired.

A spring 93 normally retains the end 91 within one of the recesses 92. A finger piece 94 is provided on said lever 89, whereby said lever may be readily rocked as desired and the gage 12 moved thereby to a different recess and thus vary the distance to which the work may be inserted beneath the stamp aflixlng instrumentalitles.

During the movement of the pad 37 toward the work support it has to pass through an opening or hole 95 in the plate 29 when such a plate is employed. This hole is made slightly larger than the stamp or label which is to be afiixed to the work and in order that said stamp may be properly guided after it has been severed and further prevented from twisting or turning a guide member 96 is secured to said plate upon the opposite side of the hole 95 of the gage 11.

Cooperating with said gage 11to properly guide said stamp the rounded nose of the moistening pad 741- is also placed so as to form a guide for that side of the stamp or label which is being afiixed and upon the opposite side of the hole from said moistening pad 7 1 is another plate or guide 97 thus all four sides of the stamp will be guided during the movement thereof toward the work support after it has been severed by the cutters 65.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire by Letters Patent to secure is:

A device of the class described having, in combination, a work support, an ailixingpad movable toward and iway from said work support, means for positioning predetermined portions of the work in alinement with said aliixing pad, means for feeding a strip of sheet material into a position between said atlixing pad and the work, a moistening pad movable toward and away from said work support, and means operatively connecting said inoistening pad with said affixing pad adapted to permit said moistening pad to engage said. work support only when said allixing pad is in its uppermost position away from said work support, whereby the work may be moistened during the insertion thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 7 my hand in presence of two sul'iscribing witnesses.

lVlLLlAM E. CLAY.

i'Vitnesses CHARLES S. Goonrne, SYDNEY E. Tar'r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

